High-frequency electron tube and method



March 1950 H. G. RUDENBERG 2,500,575

HIGH-FREQUENCY ELECTRON TUBE AND METHOD Original Filed April 27, 1944 I 6 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. I

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FIG.5

. INVENTOR ly :5

ATTORNEY March 14, 1950 H. G. RUDENBERG HIGH-FREQUENCY ELECTRON TUBE AND METHOD Original Filed April 27, 1944 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 9

4 I NVENTOR BY I ATTORNEY March 14, 1950 H. 3. RUDENBERG HIGH-FREQUENCY ELECTRON TUBE AND METHOD 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed April 27, 1944 FIG. ll

FIG [3 I NVENTOR ATTORNEY H. G. RUDENBERG HIGH-FREQUENCY ELECTRON TUBE AND METHOD March 14, 1950 e Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed April 27, 1944 Q oE F F F l 4 E i. A! x K. Nu l l v .1 w q i 5 m N v. a H S T M \QN. WL N. m ON Nw mm ,m a.. I i 1% a g w ow w o vm. mm my Om ATTO R N EY March 14, 1950 H. UDENBERQ 2,500,575

HIGH-FREQUENCY ELECTRON TUBE AND METHOD Original Filed'April 27, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. I7

;G 30 v INVENTOR ATTORNEY March 14, 1950 Original Filed April 27, 1944 H. G. RUDENBERG I HIGH-FREQUENCY ELECTRON TUBE AND METHOD 6 Sheets-Shet ATTORNEY tremely high frequencies.

Patented Mar. 14, 1950 s rarsm OFFICE HIGHPFREQUENCY ELECTRON TUBE AND METHOD Hermann Gunther Rudenberg, Belmont, Mass.

Original application April 27, 1944, Serial No. 533,027. Divided and this application July 19, 1-947, Serial-No. 762,100

2'? Claims.

The present invention relates. to electron-discharge devices and methods of operating the same, and is more particuarly. related to electrondischarge devices, and methods for use at ex- The. present application is a divisionoiapplication, Serial No. 533,027, filed April 27, 1944.

High-frequency tubes have. been subject to various disadvantages, particularly the considerabletransit time of the electrons and the relatively high electrode capacitances. In thev endeavor to, overcome some of these disadvantages, it has been attempted toreduce the size of the tubes, but this has been attended by a consequent reduction of power.

An object of the inventionis to. provide a new and improved high-frequency tube of relatively large dimensionsin order to handle large amounts of power and anew and improved method of operating the same.

A further object is to provide a new and. improved transverse-control electron tube particularly adapted for operation .at extremely high frequencies and anew and improved method of operating the same.

Another object isto provide anew. and improved electron-beam deflection tube. operable according to a new and improved method. of forming voltage and current waves along the lengths ofthe deflecting control electrodesand. along the lengths of the anode electrodes.

Still another object is to provide. a new and improvedtube of the above-described character that shall operateaccording to anew and improved method over a. large range of frequencies and electronstransit times.

' Stillanother object. is to, provide a tube having greatflexibility and efficiency and a new and improved method of operating the same.

Still a further object is the production and utilizationoi waves, in an electron beam, that are transverse to both the direction of motion of the electrons and the longitudinal extension of the beam, the said direction of motion being perpendicular to the direction of the said longitudinal extension. I I Among the objects of the invention are to provide a tube of, the above-described character that may be operable according to the new and improved method. of the present invention to produce. amplification, oscillation, detection, rectification.,irequency changes, etc.

Other. and further objects will be explained hereinafter and will be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

The invention will now bemore fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a novel high-frequency tube embodying the invention, shown connected into a circuit, the tube being shown in perspective, and'with its cylindrical envelope partly broken away, for clearness; Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken upon the line 2-2 of. Fig, 1. looking in the direction of the arrowashowing, by dotted lines, the paths traveled by electrons from the cathode at two instants of time,to illustrate time phase; Fig. 3 is a section similar'to Fig. 2 of a modification; Fig. 4 is. asimilarcross-section of a further modification, taken upon, the line 4-2 of 14, looking in the directionof the arrows; Fig. 5. is a cross section of still another modification; Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a method of connecting a plurality ofd'efleeting control electrodes to a coaxial transmission line in accordance'with a feature of thepresent invention; Fig. 7 is a similar view illustrating the connections to a parallel-wire transmission line; Fig. 8 is a similar view showing-connections to a four-wire system; Fig. 9 is a simil'ar'view showing individual connections to individual external wires; Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 of a modification; Figs. 11 and 12 are similarviews of further modifications; Fig. 13 is a view showing anodes corresponding to the control electrodes of Fig. 11; Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view'similar to Fig. 1 of a further modification, showingter minations as illustrated in Fig. 7; Fig. 15 is a similar diagrammatic view embodying the impedances illustrated in Figs. 11 and 13; Fig. 16 is a fragmentary plan of the tube and the electrodes illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 17 is a corresponding'elevation; Figs. 18,19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 are sections for illustrating space phase, the sections being taken upon the lines 18-48, lS-l-B, 2-92ll', 21- 2!, 22--22 and 23-23, respectively, of Fig. 16 or Fig. 17, looking in the direction of the arrows, with dotted lines to show the approximate paths of the electrons at a particular instant of time; Fig. 24

is a section similar to Fig. 23, but showingthe electron paths, at a particular instant oftime, at'a very much higherfrequency; Fig. 25 is a diagrammatic perspective of an electron-beam wave-curtain, showing roughly the paths traveled by the electrons in the tube of Fig. l at a part low lar instant of time; Fig. 26 isa diagrammatic View illustrating a tube according tothe present invention connected into a circuit to operate-as a non-linear device, such as a rectifier, the heater connections to the cathode being omitted, for simplicity; Figs. 27' to 29, inclusive, are similar views showing connections for operation as a frequency multiplier or a detector, a three-phase oscillator and a mixer, respectively; and Figs. 30 and 31 are cross-sections similar to Fig. 2, illustrating further modifications of the anodes and control electrodes.

In Fig. 1, there is shown a tube 2 having some characteristics similar to those of the cathoderay oscilloscope. The tube 2 is shown provided with a cathode 4, a pair of deflecting cylindrical control-grid electrodes 8 and I0, and a pair of current-receiving anodes l2 and I4, all supported by insulation 3. For convenience, the controlgrid electrode 8 and the anode electrode l2 may be termed a first pair of electrodes, and the control-grid electrode l and the anode electrode it may be termed a second pair of electrodes. The control-grid electrode 8 may be said to be associated with the anode electrode if! of the first pair of electrodes 8, l2 and the control-grid electrode [0 may be said to be associated with the anode electrode H! of the second pair of electrodes It. l4. Though other types of cathodes for emitting electrons may also be employed, the cathode 4 is shown comprising a filament, heated by a battery 6. The cathode 4, the control electrodes 8 and I0 and the anodes I2 and M are shown extending longitudinally Substantially throughout the length of the tube 2, and more or less parallel to one another. The control electrodes 8 and it are shown disposed between the cathode 4 and the anodes l2 and I4, and spaced from each other in a direction substantially transverse to lines connecting the cathode to the anodes. The plane through the control electrodes 8 and iii and the plane through'the anodes l2 and it should be approximately at right angles to the line joining the cathode to the midpoints be tween the control electrodes 8 and Ill and the anodes l2 and M. The relative locations of the parts and the relative spacing of the control electrodes and the anodes should be such that elec trons emitted by the cathode may travel between, and approximately at right anglesto, the control electrodes 8 and Hi, toward the anodes l2 and 14.

At one end of the tube 2, the control electrodes 8 and H) are shown connected together through the secondary winding it of an input transformer l8, the primary winding of which may be sup 7 plied with an alternating input voltage from any suitable source (not shown) of alternating en-' ergy, continuous or pulsed. If extremely high frequencies, say, billions of cycles are to be impressed upon the control electrodes 8 and Ill, the

coils of the transformer l8 may contain only a single turn each, or the transformer l8 may be replaced by a transmission line or other well-known elements. These modifications are not illustrated, because well understood by persons skilled in the art. The control electrodes 8 and in are shown connected to the cathode it through a focusing or biasing battery 22; the junction point 25 may be conveniently made at the mid-point of the secondary winding It. At the said one end of the tube 2, input potentials of opposite polarity will be superposed over the focusing or bias potential on the control electrodes 8 and I0, respectively,

by the input transformer I8.

. Corresponding ends of the anodes I2 and Hi are similarly shown connected through the primary winding 26 of an output transformer 28, the secondary winding of which is shown at 3B. The

transformer 28, may, of course, be replaced by any other well-known element for taking the output energy from the anodes l2 and M. The anodes are shown connected to the cathode 4 through a supply battery 32. The midpoint 34 of the primary windin 26 may serve as a suitable connecting point for the battery 32 to the anodes l2 and I l. 4

The focusing or bias circuit of the control system maye be traced from the cathode Ll, through the biasing battery 22, to the junction point 24; and thence, through the oppositely disposed halves of the secondary winding it, to the control electrodes 8 and Ill, respectively. The supply circuit of the anode system may b traced from the cathode 4, through the supply battery 32, to the junction point 34; and thence, through the oppositely disposed halves of the primary winding 26, to the anodes l2 and M, respectively. Such focusing and supply circuits are well known to the art.

High-frequency variable input voltages impressed upon one end of the control electrodes 8 and II] will produce charges of opposite polarity on these control electrodes. Alternately disposed positive and negative regions of charge will be spaced along each of the control electrodes 8 and I0, but the polarity of the charges in regions of one of the control electrodes will be opposite to the polarities on the oppositely disposed regiom of the other control electrode at any particular instant of time. The manner in which the voltage waves are produced along the lengths of the control electrodes 8 and ill will now be explained.

Tubes of the ordinary type, well known at the present time, do not operate well at extremely high frequencies, partly because the lumped interelectrode capacitances may shunt and bypass the output'and even resonate with the leads and the electrode inductances. This is reduced in the acorn tubes by small over-all dimensions.

- The detrimental shunting and resonant effects of the electrodes may be controlled and even caused to disappear, however, according to the present invention, by making the cathode the control electrodes 8 and iii and the anodes l2 and hi uniform; and longitudinally so extended, trans verse, or approximately at right angles, to the electron flow, that. they shall perform as Lecher lines for standing or traveling waves. If these electrodes should extend beyond a quarter wave,- length of the oscillation to be used, the control electrode II] will have a region 44 that, at some particular instant of time, is positive with respect to a corresponding oppositely disposed region 32 of the control electrode 8, then a region 38 that is negative with respect to the corresponding op positely disposed region t6, then a region 52 that ispositive with respect to a corresponding oppo sitely disposed region 50, and so on. These successively disposed regions of alternately positive and negative charge will be spaced throughout the length of each of the control electrodes 8 and Ill, separated by regions of zero charge, as indicated by the plus, minus and zero symbols in Fig. 1, and as shown in Figs. 19 to 24, inclusive. The alternately disposed positively and negatively charged regions of each control electrode may or may not be disposed opposite to the alternately disposed negatively and positively charged re gions, respectively, of the other control electrode. Let it be assumed that, at the cross-section determined by the line 2j2 of Fig. 1, in the plane of Fig. 2, electrons emitted from the cathode 4 travel along paths, two of which are indicatedat 35 and 37, between the control elements'B and I 0, towards the anodes l2 and M, respectively. As-

suming further, in that cross-section of Fi 2,,

that the control electrode I9, during a half-cycle of the input voltage, has momentarily a more positive charge than. the control electrode 8,- the electrons will be attracted toward the control electrode Ill rather than to the control electrode 8, so as to reach the anode I4, rather than the The electrons. will thus travel past the control electrode Ill to ward the anode electrode I4 of the pair of electrodes I0, I4. During the next half-cycle of the anode I2, by way or thepath 31.

versed. It is not essential that the electronsactuallyreach the anode electrodes, for they may induce charges in the anode electrodes through proximity thereto. By reason of the contribution of that cross section of Fig. 2, therefore, analternating current will be set up in the output transformer 2B of a frequency andwaveshape dependent upon the frequency and waveshape applied. to the input transformer I8. Other cross sections.

disposed. successively along the tube 2 will similarly contribute corresponding currents tothe output transformer 28.

that will compensate for the different Maxwellian retardation times of the currents on the anodes I2 and I4 between the places of origin of these currents and the transformer 28.

The electrons traveling from the respective regions of the cathode l toward the corresponding regions of the anodes I2 and I4, and deflected transversely at oneparticular time by the charges" on the control electrodes I3 and. Ill, will not all be:

deflected so as to be received, in allcross sections of the tube of Fig. 1, by either the-anode I2 or the anode M, as would be thecase with moderate frequencies. both these anodes, simultaneously, in groups,

namely, at regions otpositiveand-negative charge.

corresponding to the regions of negative and positive charge, respectively, ofthe control electrodes 8 and It. Alternately disposed positive and negative charges will be produced. in. the regions of the anode electrode of each of the pairs of elec-- trodes 8, I2 and Ill, I4 that are respectively dis-' posed opposite to the corresponding negatively and positively charged regions of the control electrode of the corresponding pair of electrodes, and the charges may be reversed in synchronism with the reversal of the polarities of the charges of the control-electroderegions.

The diagrammatically shown paths 36 of travel of the electrons in some of these various cross-- sections, at a particular instant of time, are. illustrated indetail by-Figs. 18 to 23. These figures show. also the condition of charge, atone particular time, in difierent regions spaced along, the electrodes. Because of the Maxwellian retardation time, the charges on the control electrodes 8 and I0, excited by a varying or alternating voltage applied, for example, atone end of these control electrodes, change in phase along the control. electrodes. The charge is zero in the plane of the cross-section shownin Fig. 18. The charge These currents should: have an appropriate phase displacement, however,;

The electrons will be received by.-

amoer- 1 ispositive-on the control electrode 1D,.and nega-- tive on the control electrode 8 in the cross-soc tional plane of Fig. 19. The charge is again zeroin. the. cross-section of Fig. 20. The chargeis negativeon the control electrode I0, and positive on the controlelectrode 8 in the plane of Fig. 21-.

The charge is zero in Fig. 22, the same as in Fig. 18.. The charge is positive, once more, on the control electrode I0 and negative on the control electrode 8, in Fig. 23.

-In Figs. 19 and 23, for example, the positivecharges in the regions 44 and 52, respectively, onthe control electrode I0, and the negative charges in the corresponding oppositely disposed regions- 42 and 50, respectively, on the control electrode 8, will result in deflecting the electrons towards-- the anode Hi, there producing negative charges.

in regions I44 and I52, and positive charges .in regions I42 and I50, on the anode I2. The charged regions I44 and I52 may be disposed opposite, and respectively correspond, to the control-electrode regions 44 and 52. As further illustrated in Fig. 21, the positive and negative charges in the regions it and 48 on the control electrodes B and It] will deflect the electrons towards the anode I2, there producing a negative charge in. a region I45, and a positive charge in a region The charged-legions I46; and I48 may bedisposed opposite, and respectively. correspond, to the contro1-electrode regions I48, on the anode I4.

45, and 48. Under the deflection forces of these charges on the; control electrodes 8 and I0, theelectron beam will be deflected to opposite sides,

or not at all, as the case may be, at these various cross-sections, as shown by the dotted-line paths 36in Figs. 18 to 23. The entire beam or sheet 01' electrons, therefore, at the particular instant, will have a curtain-shape, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 25.

This deflection thus varying along the'longi-- tud-inal axis of the tube, however, represents thespace phase at one instant of time only, with the electron beam in every alternate deflection zone traveling toward the anode It at one side, as represented by Figs. 19 and 23. A half-cycle later, however, the same deflection zones will be;

such as to travel toward the anode I2, on the other side, in the sections l9i9 and 23-43 of Figs. 16 and 17. At the intermediate zones, il-

. lustrated by Figs. 18, 20 and 22, the beam will travel toward neither the anode i2 nor the anode.

I4 at these instants of time, but will travel in between them. During their travel from the cathodes to the anodes, the electrons become thus deflected by the control electrodes in deflec' tion zones alternately directed toward the re spective anode electrodes to correspond to the;

respectivepositively and negatively charged re-- gions of the control electrodes. Fig. 25 represents but one instantaneous phase of the resulting transversely oscillating electron-beam wavecurtain. I

If, now, the system is to operate in unison, to

yield a, high-frequency output in the transformer,

4, 23, the natural wavelength of thecurrent waves on the anodes I2 and I4. and the regions of; negative charge I44, M6 and I52should be nearly in v step with the. positions at which the oscillating;-

Each- -oppositely disposed pair of positive and negative:

electron current approaches these anodes.

regions of the anodes I2 and M, such as hand 4,44, I46 and I48, I55 and I52, may beconsid'eered, in. itsefiect, as aseparate deflection.tube-.

The output of the transformer 23 will then core respond. to thercombined outputs of thSEs.S6p;-.

arate regions, with the correct phase. The phase difierences of the charges along the lengths of the control electrodes 8 and I should be deter mined by the same Maxwellian retardation times, so that the currents delivered by the electron beam to the anodes I2 and I 4 shall vary along the lengths of the anodes exactly in that phase displacement which is needed for simultaneous and cumulative arrival at the output transformer 28.

In order to attain the desired efifect of the electrons reaching the anodes I 2 and I4 in proper time for combination in the output transformer 28, the velocity of propagation of the waves along the anodes I2 and It should be substantially the same as that of the waves along the control electrodes 8 and H3, if the anodes and the deflecting control electrodes are of equal active length. It is not necessary, of course, that the charged regions be equally spaced. If these electrodes have unequal lengths, the velocities should be made such that the traveling times of the Waves along the electrodes of each pair 8, I2 and I0, I4 of the anode and the corresponding control electrode shall be substantially the same. It may, in some cases, be desirable, toward this end of having the electron currents reach the anodes l2 and I4 in step with the waves already on these anodes, to make or coat the anodes or the control electrodes 8 and I9 with some material of increased dielectric constant or increased permeability or both, thus decreasing their wave velocity.

This is illustrated in Figs. 30. and 31. In Fig.

30, the anodes I2 and it are shown provided with.

supporting wires I62 and I64 which, in turn, have outer coatings I12 and HG, respectively, of some material of high dielectric constant and low wave velocity. The wave velocity on the control electrodes 8 and Ill of Fig. 31 may be decreased by constituting them, say, of wires I68 and I19, which have some permeability greater than unity. Either solid or coated electrodes, of either magnetic or dielectric material, may be used, sep-j arately, or in combination, for the control elec trode, or for the anode Lecher lines, or for both, to achieve an adjustment of the wave velocity in accordance with the present invention.

The alternately disposed positively and negaa tively charged regions are thus caused to travel along the control electrodes 8 and ID, to cause the electron-beam wave-curtains to oscillate transversely in deflection zones traveling with these charged regions, and the alternately dis-' posed positively and negatively charged regions of the anodes I2 and I l, corresponding to the negatively and positively charged regions, re-

spectively, of the control electrodes 3 and Ill, and

to the respective deflection zones at the anodes, are caused to travel synchronously in timed relation thereto.

In each cross-section, the electrons will require a finite, though small, time in which to travel from the control electrodes to the anodes. At extremely high frequencies, the phase of the charges on the control electrodes may change during this small time. In that event, the paths 36 may become modified, as illustrated by Fig. 24. There, at one particular time, the electrons causing the negative charge I44 by approaching the anode I4 have been previously attracted towards the control electrode I I! by the previously present positive charge 44, which already has moved out of this cross-section, while the electrons passing the control electrodes at the particular time illustrated are attracted by the positive charge 46 towards the control-electrode 8, as the attracting positive phase of the charge has changed meanwhilefrom the control electrode Ill to the control electrode 8. The time of flight of the electrons from the control electrodes to the anodes will be the same in each cross-section, if the controlelectrodes are substantially parallel to the anodes, as shown, and this time delay will not have any adverse effect on the operation of the tube, whereas the time of flight of the electrons from the cathode to the control electrodes has no effect at all. This is in contrast to the detrimental efiect of the transit times controlled by variations of the operating voltages of ordinary electron tubes.

Not only is means thus provided for producing the eiTect of a large number of small tubes in one tube, moreover, but also provision is made for the use of different or variable frequencies, and even pulsed or complex waves, which could not be obtained with a fixed number of such small tubes. The system above described will operate just as well with any low or high frequency, even though manyfull or fractional numbers of wave-lengths may be formed on the electrode elements. The proper distribution of the Waves takes place because the control electrodes 8 and I0 and the anodes I2 and I4, as before stated, operate as pairs of Lecher lines. Voltage and current waves are formed along the lengths of these electrodes; consequently, the electron stream oscillates in transverse spatial waves in the axial direction of the tube, like a curtain, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 25. The waves in the direction of the electrode extension may be standing waves or traveling waves or a combination of both, as determined by the 'impedances of the control and anode electrodes and their circuits.

The distance between the control electrodes 8 and I 0 should preferably be smaller than the distance of these control electrodes from the anodes I2 and I4 or from the cathode 4. The effect of the alternating fields produced by the opposite charges on the control electrodes 8 and I0 will then be small at both the cathode 4 and at the anodes I2 and I4. The alternating field produced by the opposite charges on the anodes I2 and I4 will also be small at both the cathode 4 and the control electrodes 8 and Ill. This is due to the great attenuation of such alternating fields at a distance from the electrode pairs. The impedances mutual to either control electrode and an anode are small, owing to the shielding effect of the other control electrode and the other anode. The same is true for the impedances mutual to the cathode, the control electrodes, and the anodes. The smallness of such mutual impedances is desirable to reduce the resulting coupling-between the input and output circuits connected to the electrodes.

Another advantage of the tube here described is the fact that the output voltages and currents drawn from the anodes I2 and I l are balanced that is, they are equal and opposite-even though the alternating input potentials impressed between the control electrodes 8 and I Il may be unbalanced-that is, of unequal magnitudes-wit respect to the cathode.

The spacing of the electrodes suitable for efficient operation of the tube should be correctly 7 succession, first, towards one, andthen toward the other, of the control electrodes .2 and W, as a j. consequence of the rapidly alternating forces acting upon the electrons. The result would be that the electrons would ultimately travel with reduced deflection, instead of along the path 556. without reaching either the anode I2 or the anode Hi. This decrease of deflection may be avoided by havingthe distance between the cylindrical control electrodes 8 and H! less than the order of electrodes 8 and ID. This space may be made so confined'as to be traversed by the electrons in a time the order of magnitude of which is shorter than one period of the highest frequency of operation. This leads immediately to the aforementioned dimensioning condition. In those modifications of the tube in which extremely high-frequency output is desired at the anodes l2 and M, the spacing between these anodes should be less than the order of magnitude of the quotient: electron-velocity component at the anodes, in a direction perpendicular to these anodes, divided by the highest operation.

The times of electron transitthrough the small control-electrode region and, when desirable, also through the anode region, may be made very frequency of small by suitable dimensioning of the electrode elements, thus keeping the efliciency high. The tube dimensions are otherwise independent of the wavelength or the frequency. In particular, the tube electrodes may be made as long axially as is suitable to obtain any desired amount of power, irrespective of the frequency of operation. This is a great advantage since the size of the electrodes of ordinary tubes for extremely high frequencies is limited to the order of magnitude of the wavelengths-employed, as is well known to the art. This invention thus frees the new type of electron tube from these present limitations.

Accordingly, a tube operating near a frequency of 750 megacycles per second might have a spacing less than 2 millimeters between the control electrodes, if these control electrodes are operated with a mean potential of +6 volts with respect to the cathode, which would produce electron velocities between the control electrodes of about 1500 kilometers per second.

For good utilization of the electron stream, the

electrons should reach the anodes t2 and it in more or less sharply defined groups of beams.

acteristic with respect to the control-electrode potential difference, the electrons may be focused v into suitably sharp beams, with the foci near the I anodes l2 and M. This may be effected by choosm the mean value of the potentials of the conjt'rol electrodes 8 and It with respect to the cathode, as by a suitable focusing or biasing bat tery 22, in such manner that the beams of electrons formed in the tube shall converge to produce a focus effect at the anode region. The

Y cylindrical shape of the electrodes 8 and it may improve the focusing. Separate focusing electrodes may also be employed.

Specifically, the distance of the focus from the control-electrode region is essentially determined by the ratio of the mean values of the potentials of adjacent control-electrode elements and the mean values of the potentials of adjacent anode elements, where the cathodev is taken at zero potential. If the position of the focus is to remain unaltered, and the emission from the cathode is to be varied, both the mean-grid and the meamanode potentials should be changed in such manner that their ratio would remain fixed. In the systems of all the figures, the control electrodes, therefore, may serve notonly to deflect the electron streams, but also to focus them into beams converging toward the anodes. The deflecting function is brought about by the differ-- ence of potential between the adjacently' disposed control electrodes. The focusing of the electron streams into sheets or beams of suitable width is broughtabout by a proper mean potential of the control electrodes with respect to the cathode.

Additional focusing electrodes 58 and 53 may,

- however, be employed, as illustrated in Fig.3.

One, the electrode 5|, is shown near the cathode, biased negatively, and acting so as to send the electrons near the control electrodes 8 and ill. The other, the electrode 53, is shown beyond the anodes I2 and M, biased correctly to let the majority of the electrons reach the anodes. This electrode 53 may also act to prevent secondary electron emission from the anodes i2 and M, or to collect those electrons not reaching the anodes, in a manner well known to the art.

The tube described may be used for amplification, the generation of extremely-high-frequency oscillations, frequency multiplication, detection, and the like. If, for frequencymultiplication I purposes, for example, it is desired that the output frequency in the transformer 28 shall be two or three or four or any other integral number of times that of the input frequency in the transformer i8, the electron currents arriving at the anodes l2 and i4 should be in step with every second or'third or fourth or other integral wave of the natural oscillations possible on the anodes i2 and it. If the electron currents arriving at the anodes are non-linear functions of the control-electrode potential difierences, as may be the case, the electron-current waves in space along the anodes and, therefore, also their oscillations in time, will contain frequencies which are multiples of the frequency applied to the control elec- ';Electron streams too broad transversely would result in converging both anodes l2 and it at all times, and this would not produce any changes of current at the anodes. In order to obtain the -'maximum steepness of the anode-current chartrodes, as well as an average component of current varying with the amplitude of the applied frequency. From these currents, one or more frequencies may be selected, by appropriate filtering anode elements in parallel, and taking the output from these anode elements, as one pole, and a plate electrode, arranged beyond and between the anodes, as the other pole, as shown in the output circuits of Figs. 27 and 29. For frequenoy dow bling, for example, the electron beam will reach the two anodes l2 and It together, twice within each cycle of the voltage applied to the control electrodes, therefore producing currents in the anodes l2 and M of twice the frequency applied to the control electrodes 8 and i9. Due to the non-linearity of the a so can 11v complete system, a rectified direct current or currents of still higher even harmonics may also be produced and selected.

For operation of the tube as a frequency multiplier, the natural wavelength of the oscillations on the anode elements should be a submultiple of the wave length of the oscillations of the electron beam reaching the anode, measured alon the lengths of the elements. This condition maybe fulfilled by having the times of propagation of the waves on all the electrodes approximately equal, and by arranging the control electrodes and the anodes parallel to one another, either in a cylindrical or a plane arrangement, with the active lengths of the control-electrodes and the anodes, and. their waye velocities, approximately equal.

Such filtering or tuning means may be constituted of a condenser a9 and a coil 57, as hereinafter described also in connection with Fig. 27. The condenser 59 may here be chosen with such a capacity as tojtune the primary winding 51 to the frequency of such selected currents.

For rectification, the arrangement show in Fig. 26 may be employed. The input circuit is similar to that described in connection. with l. The output circuit extends from the cathode 4, through the battery 32, to the anodes i2 and 14, connected in parallel. The heater connections to the cathode are omitted, as they are also in Figs. 2'? to 29.

For rectification of extremely high frequencies, the two parallel anodes l2 and 54 may form one pole of the output terminals of the tube, the other pole being formed by the cathode. The majority of the electrons, in one cross section, will reach one of the anodes i2 and Hi when either of the control electrodes 8 and Id is provided with a region more positive than the other, but not when there are no charges on these control electrodes in the same cross section. With an alternating a voltage between the control electrodes, the electron beam in one cross section of the tube will thus alternately reach each of the anodes. Since this occurs independently of the polarity of the charges on the control electrodes in all the cross-sections of the tube of Fig. 26 where the input voltage differs sufficiently from zero, all the fluctuating beam currents reaching the anodes will add up to ,a total average anode current at the output terminals.

If, for detection of extremely high frequencies, the signal at the control electrodes is of so small to Fig. 26, except that the output circuit is provided with a transformer 55,. The primary winding 51 of the transformer 55 is shown connected,

in parallel with the condenser 59, across the anode I and the anodes l2 and it in parallel. Not only does a non-linear .device of this character produce currents of harmonics of the input frequency, but

it also produces rectification or detection, as the case may be, (by variations of the average tube current in response to variations of amplitude of the high-frequency input. By proper choice of the capacity of the condenser 59, therefore, currents tified and detectedcurrents, may be caused to flow with considerable magnitude through the primary winding .51. I I

As an example, when the device is used as a detector, the average electron currents to the anodes i2 and it increase and decrease with the magnitude of the control-electrode signal, the average electron current'reachingth anode 15 will decrease and increase in a. complementary manner, and the combination of these currents in the output transformer or any other well known coupling device will result in a larger output than'that obtainable Without the anode '15. The secondary winding 6! of the transformer 55 may be connected to a load (not shown) as, for example, an amplifier, a loud-speaker, or other device. The condenser 59 bypasses all frequencies higher than those selected for such a load, and may tune the primary 57 to such a selected frequency. For use of the output circuit of Fig. 27 in a detector'circuit, the condenser 59' maybe chosen with a sufficiently large capacity so that it shall effectively bypass the components of current of the frequencies of the signal applied tothe control electrodes 8 and Ill.

Generally, it is not essential, of course, that the tube contain only two control electrodes 8 and ill and only two anodes l2 and M. The number of control electrodes and anodesmay be increased, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, for example, thereby to increase still further the output of the system. In Figs. 14 and 15 and, in cross-section,

control electrode 54 and a third cooperating anode 58, a fourth control electrode 55 cooperating with a fourth anode 69, further control'electrodes 62 and 64, cooperating with further anodes 66 and 68, and so on. As many pairs of control e1ectrodes and anodes symmetrically arranged may be employed as desired. In- Fig. 4, a number of parallel electrodes, cooperating in pairs, are shown disposed cylindrically. Alternatively, they may all be arranged in planes opposite the plane cathode 4, as shown in Fig. 5, or in any other suitable way. I

A further advantage of the circular or' plane multiple arrangement is that the mutual impedances between the control electrodes, the anodes and the cathode will neutralize each other, to

some extent, because the polarities of the poten tials of the various electrodes are alternately 'dis tributed. Y I

When using many control electrodes and anodes in a multiple arrangement, with one or with many cathodes, as in Fig. 29; there is no electrical limitation to the breadth or circumference of the electron tube, even at extremely high frequencies. The dimension which is limited by frequency is the spacing between adjacent control electrodes or adjacent anodes, and any decreaseof these spacings necessary to reach extremely high frequencies may be counterbalanced by using a correspondingly larger number of individual elements. It is not necessary, therefore, to restrict the total length, or the breadth of the space occupied by the tube electrodes, or the distances of the control electrodes from the anodes and from the cathode, with respect to the highest frequency of operation. This isv a reat advantage when tubes for large amounts of power are required.

In Fig. 4, and similarly in Figs. 13, 14, 15, 26, 2'7, 28 and 29, the anodes are shown as flat strips in contrast to the round wire anodes in the other figures. The specific shape shown is not essential for the action of the tube, but naturally the current taken from the electron beam may be large with fiat anodes, and the wave velocity of the oscillations on the electrodes will depend somewhat on their shape.

Where a plurality of control electrodes and anodes are employed, the control electrodes may be connected in parallel to the same input circuit, either outside or inside the tube. The input system into which the control electrodes are connected may therefore comprise either separate input circuits or the same input circuit. Figs. 6 and '7 show the connection of the control electrodes within the tube to a concentric line and a Lecher line, respectively. In Fig. 6, the central conductor I of a coaxial transmission line, the outer conductor of which is shown at I2, is shown connected to alternately disposed electrodes I4, and the other conductor 12 is shown connected to the remaining electrodes I0. The coaxial line is sealed in the vacuum seal I8 of the tube. Fig. 7, each of the alternately disposed. electrodes I4 is shown connected to a wire 80 of a parallel-wire or Lecher system and the Other electrodes IE to the other wire 82 of that system,

The same method of connection of the control electrodes by means of a Lecher line is used in the tube of Fig. 14. In Fig. 14, the control electrodes I0, 54, 62, are shown connected by the wire 80 to one side of the secondary winding I6 of the input transformer I8, and the control electrodes 8, 56, 64 are shown connected by the wire 82 to the other side of the secondary winding of the input transformer I8, through the Lecher line 80, 82. These control electrodes extend, together with their lead wires, substantially throughout the length of the tube 2, parallel to the cathode 4 which they surround.

Parallel to and surrounding the control electrodes are the anodes, connected in parallel, in the same manner as the control electrodes. The anodes i4, 58, 66 are connected together to one side of the primary 26 of the output transformer 28, and the anodes I2, 60, 68 are connected together to the other side of the same output transformer. The remaining connections correspond to those of the circuit of Fig. 1.

The external system into which the anode electrodes are connected, like the input system into which the control electrodes are connected, may therefore comprise either separate circuits or the same circuits. The same applies also-to the focusing system into which the cathodes are connected to the input system; this focusing system may comprise either separate focusing circuits or the same focusing circuit. The relative locations of the parts and the relative spacing of the control electrodes and the anodes should be such that electrons emitted by the cathode 4 may travel between, and substan-' tially perpendicular to, adjacent control electrodes, for example, the control electrodes 8 and I0, towards the corresponding and cooperating anodes, such as the anodes I2 and I4, shown in Figs. 4 and 14.

In Fig. 8, the electrodes 04 are shown connected in parallel to awire 86 of a four-wire system, the electrodes 88 to a wire 90 of the four-wire system, and the electrodes 92 and S4 to the wires 96 'and 98, respectively, of the four-wire system.

This arrangement could be used, for example, with a revolving four-phase system of oscillations, or with the modulating or mixing system described hereafter. In Fig. 9, all the electrodes 14 I00 are shown connected, each to a separate wire I02 of an external eight-wire system. The electrodes I00 are shown open-circuited at the end remote from the leads in the tube, as in Fig. 1. In Fig. 10, however, both ends of the electrodes I00 are shown connected to external eight-wire lines. As shown in Fig. 15 and in the diagrammatic showing of Fig. 11, the ends of the control electrodes I00',-within the tube, maybe connected by means of terminating impedances I05, or they may be merely short-circuited directly, as shown at I06, Fig. 12. Fig. 13 shows diagrammatically the arrangement of the anodes I08 and terminating impedances 104 which may be used in combination with the control electrodes I00 and terminations I05 of Fig. 11. Suitable matching or tuning of these electrodes, as by means of impcdances, short-circuits, and open-ends is, of course, advisable and may be accomplished as shown either inside or outside of the tube.

It is well known tothe art that the impedances connected to such Lecher lines determine whether standing or traveling waves occur. In Fig. l, for example, there is no additional impedance connected to the end of the control electrodes 8 and :I0 nearest to the charges 50 and 52. Leaving these ends open will cause the Waves to be stationary.

When the impedances I05 of Fig. 11, as another example, are equal to or match the characteristic impedance of the control electrodes I00, therewill be no reflections of waves traveling along these electrodes, with the result that traveling waves will be produced on the electrodes I00. When the electrodes I00 are connected together by the short-circuit I 08 of Fig. 12, on the other'hand, complete reflection of the waves will occur, resulting in'standing waves on these electrodes I00.

At very high frequencies where the quarter wave-length on the tube elements is less than the active-electrode length, the wavelength and the positions of the oscillations of the electron beam at the anode, measured in the direction of the length of the anode, and caused by the voltage or charge oscillations on the control electrodes, should be made approximately the same as the natural wave-length and the positions, respectively, of the oscillations of voltage and current on the anode elements, measured along the same direction. This condition may befulfllled by arranging the anode and the control-electrode elements parallel to one another, either in a cylindrical or a plane arrangement, so that the active lengths of the control-electrode elements and the anode elements, as well as their wave velocity, are approximately equal, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and in Figs. 1, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 30 and 31, by proper matching, terminating and tuning, as i1- lust'rated in Figs. 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, I27, 28 and 29. The aforesaid conditions make use of the fact that the new transverse-control tube has distributed capacitance and distributed inductance in the electrically active parts of the tube, namely, in the controlling electrodes, the receiving anodes, and in the intermediate and adjacent regions containing the space charge of the electrons. J

In the tube of Fig. 15, similar in some respects 'to Fig. 14, the same relative positions of the electrodes are used. The control electrodes are connected in parallel to the input transformer I8 in the same manner as described in connection with Fig. 14. The connections for the anodes, like wise connected in parallel to the primary winding :26 of the output transformer 28, are here shown leaving the tube 2 at the end opposite to the end where the connections to the control electrodes enter the tube. The free ends of the control elec trodes, and also those of the anodes, are respectively terminated by impedances I85, I04, as also shown separately in Figs. 11 and 13. If these impedances are chosen of such value so as to eliminate reflections, at the terminated ends, of the electric waves traveling on the electrodes, the tube of Fig. 15 will be particularly Well adapted for op.- eration with traveling pulse waves of voltage and current. Electric waves reaching the primary winding 2d of the input transformer I8 will, on leaving the secondary winding I8 of this transformer, travel along the lead wires on to the control electrodes inside the tube. The pulse. waves will then travel along these control electrodes towards the terminations 585 where they are absorbed. These traveling pulse waves on the control electrodes will deflect those electrons emitted from the cathode which are just passing throughthe electric field of these waves. Therefore, each of the electron beams, as illustrated in Fig. 25 for an oscillating wave, will move in the form of a traveling wave in a shape geometrically similar to the well-known traveling pulse waves on a curtain of oscillating pendula. The defiected electrons, on reaching the anodes, will produce current and voltage waves on the anodes which will travel along the anodes in the same 1 direction, with the; same pulse shape, and with the-same. velocity, as the waves on the control electrodes, in synchronism therewith. These waves on the anodes will travel over the lead wires, out of the tube, to the primary winding 26 of the output transformer 28, and through the secondary winding '38, to any load (not shown) which may be connected. The terminating impedances IM of the anodes maybe used to exclude any waves moving in the opposite direction,

thus to produce a traveling pulse'wave.

The electrodes may, in another embodiment of the invention, shown, for example, in Fig. 28, be employed for polyphase operation, several phases of polyphase voltage being applied to input control electrodes Ill, 8, 5d, 56, 62, 6%, etc., in cyclical sequence, and a corresponding number of phases maybe taken, in the same sequence, from the output of the correspondingly connected anodes I4, I2, 58, so, 66, 68, etc. The control electrodes, as well as the anodes, instead of being alternately connected together, as when used for singlephase currents and voltages, in the polyphase case-are connected together cyclically in groups of three, four or more elements. The tube here acts'to produce a succession of "electron beams, resulting'in a traveling or revolving distribution of space charges atthe several anodes.

Fig. 28 shows the connections of such atube for three-phase operation, illustrated by a threephase oscillator. The control electrodes I0, ,58, etc., are shown connected together to thesecondary winding IIO, the control electrodes 8, 62, etc., are connected together to the secondary winding 'I I2, and the control electrodes 54, 64, etc., to the secondary winding I IA of the transformer I34, its secondary windings I I0, H2 and H4 being ar-- ranged to supply the three phases of; the extremely-high-Ifrequency oscillations to thecontrol elec-. trodes. The focusing or. biasing battery 22 is connected between the junction I24 of the secondary windings I I 0, I I2 and H4 and the cathode 4, completing the input circuit.

The output circuit extends fromthe anodes I4 and 60, etc., in parallel to the primary winding I26 as one phase, the anodes I2 and 66, etc., to the primary winding I28 for the second phase, and from the anodes 58-and 68, etc., to the primary winding I3Il for the third phase. The junction I32 of the primary windings I26, I28 and I 30 is connected, through the battery or supply 32, to the cathode 3. The condensers I36 serve to tune the transformer I34 for the freneously impressed on the same pairs or sets of control electrodes, or they may be connected cyclically to different control electrodes; for example, three frequencies separately to every first, every second, and every third element, so that two or more sets of control electrodes may be used. Although the deflection of an electron beam passing between any two control electrodes is proportional to the difference of potential between these control electrodes, the currents of this electron beam reaching the corresponding anodes may be a non-linear function of that potential difference, due to the distribution of space charge within the beam. Such a non-linear tube will produce all kinds of sum and difierence frequencies of which one or more may be selected by an appropriate filter.

A mixing circuit is illustrated in Fig. 29. This shows a part of a cross-section of a mixing tube, with many separate cathodes 4. The control electrodes 8, 64,? etc., are connected to one side of the secondary winding I6, and the control electrode 56, etc., is shown connected to the other side of the same secondary winding I6, of an input transformer I8 the primary winding 20 of which is supplied with the first of the two frequencies, ii, to be mixed. Similarly, the other frequency ft is supplied to the primary winding 228 of a second input transformer 2I8, and to the control electrodes Ill and 62, etc., through one side of the secondary winding 2H5 and to the electrode 54, etc., through the other side. The focusing or bias battery 22 is'shown connected between the cathodes 4 and themidpoints 24- and 224 of the secondary windings I6 and 2i 6 of the input transformers I8 and 2 I8.

The cathodes 4 are here shown consisting of a number of filaments opposite and parallel to every second space'between the control-electrodes; There are, therefore, only half as many cathodes or filaments as there are control electrodes. The anodes I2, I4, 58, 60, 66, 68 are all connected together, in parallel, to one pole of the output filter M0, while the other pole-of the filter is connected to an additional plate I3 beyond the anodes, which will collect those electrons which pass between the anodes. This plate and the anodes are supplied from .the battery 32 through the filter, thezother end of the. battery being connected to the cathodes The-wavelengths of the desired components of the composite oscillations of the electron beams along thelengths of the anode-electrode elements, and. the. natural wavelengths of the desiredcomponents of voltage and current on the anode-electrode elements, should be substantially equal. This condition may be fulfilled by arranging the anode electrodes and the control-electrode elements parallel to one another in a cylindrical or a plane arrangement, so that the active lengths of the control-electrode and the anode elements, as well as their wave velocity, are substantially equal. It is desirable, in all modifications of the tubes here described, that the leads between the electrodes within the tube and the external circuits shall match the characteristic impedance of the electrodes and that of the external circuits.

Either standing-wave or traveling-wave operation, or a combination of both, on the electrode elements, at fixed or varying frequencies, may be 1 attained with the novel tube of the present invention, which is especially suited for the production, transformation and utilization of extremely high frequencies. Energy transfer or production is usually correlated with traveling waves conducted into or out of the tube.

Although the above description has been based, for concreteness, on the assumption that a continuous-wave voltage has been impressed upon the input circuits, the invention is equally applicable, of course, to use with pulsed or complex waves. It is well known that pulsed or complex waves, in effect, are resultants of the Fourier addition of component waves of several frequencies.

Further modifications will occur to persons skilled in the art, and all such are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating an electron tube having a plurality of electrodes comprising a cathode, a pair of control electrodes, and a pair of anodes, the electrodes having regions spaced along their lengths, each of the regions of each of the anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode, and each of the regions of one of the control electrodes corresponding to a region of the other control electrode, the said method comprising causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathode toward the corresponding regions of the anodes along paths transverse to the control electrodes, producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of one of the control electrodes and alternately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the other control electrode, to deflect the electrons toward one of the anodes at regions of one polarity of one of the control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the other control electrode, and to deflect the electrons toward the other anode at regions of the said one polarit of the said other control electrode and at the corresponding regions of the said opposite polarity of the said one control electrode, thereby to produce an electron-beam wavecurtain, and periodically reversing the polarities of the charges, thereby to cause the electronbeam wave-curtain to oscillate transversely.

2. A method of operating an electron tube having a plurality of electrodes comprising a cathode, a pair of control electrodes, and a pair of anodes, each control electrode being associated with one of the anodes, the electrodes having regions spaced along their lengths, each of the regions of each of the anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode and to a region of the associated control electrode, and each of the regions of one of the control electrodes corresponding to a region of the other control electrode, the said method comprising causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathode toward the corresponding regions of the anodes along paths transverse to the control electrodes, producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of one of the control electrodes and alternately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the other control electrode, to defiect the electrons toward one of the anodes at regions of one polarity of one of the control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the other control electrode, and to deflect the electrons toward the other anode at regions of the said one polarity of the said other control electrode and at the corresponding regions of the said opposite polarity of the said one control electrode, thereby to produce an electron-beam wave-curtain, periodically reversing the polarities of the charges, thereby to cause the electron-beam wave-curtain to oscillate transversely, and, in timed relation to the production of the said charges, producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of each anode corresponding to the regions of negative and positive charges, respectively, of its associated control electrode.

3. A method of operating an electron tube having a plurality of electrode means comprising cathode means, a plurality of control electrodes, and a corresponding plurality of anodes, the electrode means having regions spaced along their lengths, each of the regions of each of the anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode means and to a region of the corresponding control electrode, and each of the regionsof each alternately disposed control electrode corresponding to a region of one of the other control electrodes, the said method comprising causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathode means toward the corresponding regions of the anodes along paths transverse to the control electrodes, producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of alternately disposed control electrodes and alternately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the other control electrodes, to deflect the electrons toward alternately disposed anodes at regions of one polarity ofthe corresponding alternately disposed control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the corresponding other control electrodes, and to deflect the electrons toward the other anodes at regions of the said one polarity of the said corresponding other control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the said opposite polarity of the said corresponding alternately disposed control electrodes, thereby to produce electron-beam wave-curtains, and

periodically reversing the polarities of the charges, thereby to cause the electron-beam wave-curtains to oscillate transversely.

4. A method of operating an electron tube having a plurality of electrode means comprising cathode means, a plurality of control electrodes, and a corresponding plurality of anodes, the electrode means having regions spaced along their lengths, each of the regions of each of the anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode means, and each of the regions of one or more 19 travel from the said regions of the cathode means toward the corresponding regions of the anodes along paths transverse to the control electrodes, producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of the said one or more control electrodes and alternately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the said other control electrode or control electrodes, to deflect the electrons toward an anode or anodes at regions of one polarity of the corresponding control electrode or control electrodes, and at the corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the corresponding other control electrodes, and to deflect the electrons toward an other anode or other anodes at regions of the said one polarity of the said correspondingother control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the said opposite polarity of the said corresponding control electrode or control electrodes, thereby to produce an electron-beam wave-curtain or wave-curtains, and periodically reversing the polarities of the charges, thereby causing the electron-beam wave-curtain or wave-curtains to oscillate transversely.

5. High-frequency electron-discharge apparatus having, in combination, an electron tube having a plurality of electrodes comprising .a cathode, avpair of control electrodes, and a pair of anodes, the electrodes having regions spaced along their lengths, each of the regions of each of the anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode, each of the regions .of one of the control electrodes corresponding to a regionpf the other control electrode, means tor causing electrons to travel from thesaid re ions or the'cathode toward the corresponding ri ionshbf fill? anodes, the control electrodes being disposed transversely to the respective paths of travel of the electrons from the cathode toward the corresponding anodes, and means for producing al ternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of one of the control electrodes and alternately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the other control electrode, to deflect the electrons toward one of the anodes at regions of one polarity of one of the control electrodes and at the corresponding regions ,of the opposite polarity of the other control electrode, and to deflect the electrons toward the other anode at regions of the said one polarity of the said other control electrode and at the corresponding regions of the said opposite polarity of the said one control electrode, thereby to produce an electron-beam Wave-curtain, and for periodically reversing the polarities of the charges, thereby to cause the electron-beam wave-curtain to oscillate transversely.

6. High-frequency electron-discharge apparatus having, in combination, an electron tube having a plurality of electrode means comprising cathode means, a plurality .of control electrodes, and a corresponding plurality of anodes, the

electrode means having regions spaced along their lengths, each of the regions of each of the anodes corresponding .to a region of the cathode means and to a region of the corresponding control electrode, each of the regions of each alternately disposed control electrode corresponding to a region of one of the other control electrodes, means for causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathode means toward the corresponding regions of the anodes, the control electrodes being disposed transversely to the espec ve-pa hs of travel of the elect ons imp the cathode means toward the corresponding anodes, means for producin alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of alternately disposed control electrodes and alternately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions .of the other control electrodes, to deflect the electrons toward alternately disposed anodes at'regions of one polarity of the corresponding alternately vdisposed control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the corresponding other control electrodes, and to deflect the electrons toward the other anodes at regions of the said one polarity of the said corresponding other control electrodes and atthe corresponding rego the-said opposite polarity of the said corresponding alternately disposed control electrodes, thereby to produce electron-beam wave-curtains, and for causing the charged regions to-travel along the control electrodes, thereby to cause the electron-beam wave-curtains to oscillate transversely in deflection-zones traveling with the charged regions of the control electrodes, means for producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of the anodes corresponding to the regions of negative and positive charges, respectively, of their corresponding control electrodes, and means for causing the charged regions of the anodes to travel along the anodes with substantially the same velocity as the corresponding defiection zones of the electron-beam waveec-un tains at the corresponding anodes.

'7. High-frequency electron-discharge apparatus havingincombination, an electron tube havin a p u a ity oi electrodes c mprisin meth ds, a pair of control electrodes, and a pair of anodes, each control electrode being associated with lone of the anodes, the electrodes having regions spaced along their lengths, each of the regions of each of the anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode and to a region of the associated control electrode, each of the regions of one of the control electrodes corresponding to a region of the other control electrode, means for causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathode toward the corresponding regions of the anodes, the control electrodes being disposed transversely to the respective paths of travel :of the electrons from the cathode toward the eerie, spondi-ng anodes, means for producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of one of the control electrodes and alternately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the other control electrode, to deflect the electrons toward one of the anodes at regions of one polarity of one of the control electrodes and .at the corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the other control electrode, and to deflect the electrons toward the other anode at regions of the said one polarity'of the said other control electrode and at the corresponding regions of the said opposite polarity of the said one control electrode, thereby to produce an electronbeam wave-curtain, and for periodically reversing the polarities of the charges, thereby to cause the electron-beam wave-curtain to oscillate transversely, and means operable in timed relation to the production of the said charges for producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of each anode corresponding to the regions of negative and positive 21 charges, respectively, of its associated control electrode. H r I 8. High-frequency electron-discharge apparatus having,'in combination, an electron tube having a plurality of electrode means comprising cathode meansj a plurality of control electrodes, and a corresponding plurality of anodes, the electrode means having regions spaced along their lengths, each of the regions of each of the anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode means and to a region of the corresponding control electrode, each of -the regions of each alternately disposed control electrode corresponding to a region of one of the other control electrodes, means for causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathodemeans toward the corresponding regions of the anodes, the control electrodes being disposed transversely to the respective paths of travel of the electrons from the cathode means toward the corresponding anodes, means for producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of alternately disposed control electrodes and alternately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the other control electrodes, to deflect the electrons toward alternately disposed anodes at regions of one polarity of the corresponding alternately disposed control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the corresponding other control electrodes, and to deflect the electrons toward the other anodes at regions of the said one polarity of thesai'd corresponding other control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the said opposit e" polarity of the said corresponding alternately disposed control electrodes, thereby to produce electron-beam wave-curtains, and for periodically reversing the polarities of the charges, thereby to cause the electron-beam wave-curtains to oscillate transversely, and means operable "in timed relation to the production of the said charges for producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of alternately disposed anodes corresponding to the regions of negative and positive charges, respectively, of their corresponding control electrodes.

9. High-frequency electron-discharge apparatus having, in combination, an electron tube having a plurality of electrode means comprising cathode means, a plurality of control electrodes, and a corresponding plurality of anodes, the electrode means having regions spaced along their lengths, each of the regions of each of the anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode means, each of the regions of one or more control electrodes corresponding to a region of another control electrode or ,control electrodes, means for causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathode means toward the corresponding regions of the anodes, the control electrodes being disposed transversely to the respective paths of travel of the electrons from the cathode means toward the corresponding anodes, and means for producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of the said one or more control electrodes and alternately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the said other control electrode or control electrodes, to deflect the electrons toward an anode or anodes at regions of one polarity of the corresponding control electrode or control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the corresponding other control electrode or control electrodes,

and to deflect the electrons toward the other anode or anodes at regions of the said one polarity of the said corresponding other control electrode or control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the said opposite polarity of the said corresponding control electrode or control electrodes, thereby to produce an electron-beam wave-curtain or wave-curtains, and for periodically reversing the polarities of the charges, thereby to cause the electron-beam wave-curtain or wave-curtains to oscillate transversely.

10. High-frequency electron-discharge apparatus having, in combination, an electron tube having a plurality of electrode means comprising cathode means, m groups of n control electrodes each, where m and n are Whole numbers, and correspondingly m groups of n anodes each, each control electrode of each control-electrode group corresponding to a control electrode of each of the other control-electrode groups, each anode of each anode group corresponding to an anode of each of the other anode groups, the electrode means having regions spaced along their lengths, each of the regions of each of the anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode means and to a region of the corresponding control electrode, each of the regions of one or more control electrodes of each control-electrode group corresponding to a region of another control electrode or control electrodes of the said control-electrode group, means for causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathode means toward the corresponding regions of the anodes, the control electrodes being disposed "transversely to the respective paths of travel of the electrons from the cathode means toward the corresponding anodes, means for producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of the control electrodes of each group cyclically phase displaced from the alternately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the control electrodes of the said other control-electrode groups, to deflect the electrons. toward the anodes of an anode group at regions of one polarity of the corresponding control electrodes of the corresponding control-electrode group and at the corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the corresponding control electrodes of the other control-electrode groups, and to deflect the electrons toward the anodes of the other anode groups at regions of the said one polarity of the said corresponding control electrodes of the said other control-electrode groups and at the corresponding regions of the said opposite polarity of the said corresponding control electrodes of the said corresponding control-electrode groups, thereby to produce electron-beam wave-curtains, and for periodically reversing the polarities of the charges, thereby to cause the electron-beam wave-curtains to oscillate transversely, and means operable in timed relation to the production of the said charges for producing cyclically phase-displaced alternately disposed negative and positive charges in corresponding regions of the anodes of each group respectively corresponding to the cyclically phase-displaced regions of alternately disposed positive and negative charges on the corresponding control electrodes.

11. High-frequency electron-discharge apparatus having, in combination, an electron tube having a plurality of electrodes extending substantially parallel to one another in the directions of their lengths and comprising an extended cathode, a, pair of extended control electrodes,

irf extended anode the ect odes a ing regions spacedalong their lengths, each of the regions of each of the anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode, each of the regions of each of the control electrodes corresponding to a region of the other control electrode, means for causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathode toward the corresponding regions of the anodes, the control electrodes beingdisposed transversely to the respective paths of travel of the electrons from the cathode toward the corresponding anodes, and means for producing alternately disposedpositive and negative charges in the regions of one of the control electrodes and alternately disposed nega tive and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions ,of the "other control electrode, to deflect the electrons toward one of the anodes at regions of one polarity of one of the control electrodes and atthe corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the other control electrode, and to deflect the electrons toward the other anode at regions of the said one polarity of the other said control electrode and at the corresponding regions of the said opposite polarity of along their lengths, each of the regions of each r of the anodes corresponding to a region of'the cathode, and each of the regions-of one :of the control electrodes corresponding'to. a region-of the other control electrode, the said method comprising causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathode toward the corresponding regions of the anodes along paths transverse to the control electrodes, producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges inthe regions of one of the control electrodes and alternately k disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the other control electrode, to deflect the electrons toward one of the anodes at regions of one polarity of one of the control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the other control electrode, and to deflect the electrons toward the other anode at regions of the said one polarity of the said other control electrode and at the corresponding regions of the said opposite polarity of the said one control electrode, thereby to produce an electron-beam wave-curtain, causing the charged regions to travel along the control electrodes, thereby to cause the electron-beam wave-curtain to oscillate transversely in deflection zones travelling with the charged regions of the control electrodes, producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of the anodes corresponding to the deflection zones of the electron-beam Wave-curtain at the corresponding anodes, and causing the charged regions of the anodes to travel along the anodes with substantially the same velocity, as the corresponding deflection zones of the electron-beam wave-curtain at the corresponding and a corresponding plurality of anodes, the

elect od means havi g g ons pa ;ed..a1ong their lengths, each of the regions of each fthe anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode means and to a region of the corresponding control electrode, and each of the regions of each alternately disposed control electrode corresponding to a region .Of one of the other control electrodes, the said method comprising causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathode means toward the corresponding regions ofthe anodes along paths transverse to the control electrodes, producing alternately disposed positive and negative-charges in the regions of alternately disposed control electrodes and alter,- nately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the other control electrodes, to deflect the'electrons toward alternately disposed anodes at regions of one polarityof the corresponding alternately disposed control electrodes and at the corresponding-regions of the opposite polarity of the corresponding other control electrodes, and to deflect the electrons toward the other anodes at regions of the said one polarity of the said cor-- responding othercontrol electrodes and at the corresponding re ions of the said opposite polarity of the said corresponding alternately disposed control electrodes, thereby to produce electron-beam wave-curtains, causing the charged regions to travelnalong the control electrodes, thereby to cause the electron-beam wavecurtains to oscillate transversely in deflection zones travelling with the charged regions of the control -electrodes, producing alternately disposed ;positive and negative charges in the regionsoi the anodes corresponding to the regions-of negative and positive-charges, respectively, of their corresponding-control electrodes,

and causing the charged regions of the anodes to travel along the anodes with substantially the same velocity as the corresponding deflection zones of the-electron-beam wave-curtains at the corresponding anodes.

14. A method of operating an electron tube having a plurality of electrode means comprisingcathode means, a plurality of control electrodes, and a corresponding plurality of anodes, the electrode means having regions spaced alon their lengths, each of the'regions of each of the anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode means,- and each of the regions of one or more control electrodes corresponding to a region of another control electrode or control electrodes, the said methodcomprising causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathode means toward the corresponding regions of the anodes along paths transverse to the control electrodes, producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of the control electrodes to deflect the electrons toward an anode or anodes at regions of one polarity of the corresponding control electrode or control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the corresponding other control electrode or control electrodes, and to deflect the electrons toward another anode or regions of the said opposite polarity of the said corresponding control electrode or control electrodes, thereby to produce an electron-beam wave-curtain or Wave-curtains, causing the charged regions to travel along the control elect od s, thereb to cau e t e electronebea wave-curtains to oscillate transversely in deflection zones travelling with the charged regions of the control electrodes, producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of the anodes corresponding to the deflection zones of the electron-beam wave-curtain or wave-curtains at the corresponding anodes, and causing the charged regions of the anodes to travel along the anodes with substantially the same velocity as the corresponding deflection zones of the electron-beam wave-curtain or wave-curtains at the corresponding anodes.

15. High-frequency electron-discharge apparatus having, in combination, an electron tube having a plurality of electrodes comprising a cathode, a pair of control electrodes, and a pair of anodes, the electrodes having regions spaced along their length, each of the regions of each of the anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode, each of the regions of one of the control electrodes corresponding to a region of the other control electrode, means for causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathode toward the corresponding regions of the anodes, the control electrodes being disposed transversely to the respective paths of travel of the electrons from the cathode toward the corresponding anodes, and means for producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of one of the control electrodes and alternately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the other control electrode, to deflect the electrons toward one of the anodes at regions of one polarity of one of the control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the other control electrode, and to deflect the electrons toward the other anode at regions of the said one polarity of the said other control electrode and at the corresponding regions of the said opposite polarity of the said one control electrode, thereby to produce an electron-beam wave-curtain, and for causing the charged regions to travel along the control electrodes, thereby to cause the electronbeam wave-curtain to oscillate transversely in deflection zones travelling with the charged regions of the control electrodes, means for producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of the anodes corresponding to the deflection zones of the electron-beam wave-curtain at the corresponding anode, and means for causing the charged regions of the anodes to travel along the anodes with substantially the same velocity as the corresponding deflection zones of the electron-beam wavecurtain at the corresponding anodes.

16. High-frequency electron-discharge apparatus having, in combination, an electron tube having a plurality of electrode means comprising cathode means, a plurality of control electrodes, and a corresponding plurality of anodes, the electrode means having regions spaced along their lengths, each of the regions of each of the anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode means, each of the regions of one or more control electrodes corresponding to a region of another control electrode or other control electrodes, means for causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathode means toward the corresponding regions of the anodes, the control electrodes being disposed transversely to the respective paths of travel of the electrons from the cathode means toward the corresponding anodes,

and means for producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of the control electrodes to deflect the electrons toward an anode or anodes at regions of one polarity of the corresponding control electrode or control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the corresponding other control electrode or control electrodes, and to deflect the electrons toward another anode or other anodes at regions of the said one polarity of the said corresponding other control electrode or control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the said opposite polarity of the said correspending control electrode or control electrodes, thereby to produce electron-beam wave-curtains, and for causing the charged regions to travel along the control electrodes, thereby to cause the electron-beam wave-curtains to oscillate transversely in deflection zones travelling with the charged regions of the control electrodes, means for producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of the anodes corresponding to the deflection zones of the electron-beam Wave-curtains at the corresponding anodes, and means for causing the charged regions of the anodes to travel along the anodes with substantially the same velocity as the corresponding deflection zones of the electron-beam wavecurtains at the corresponding anodes.

17. A method of operating an electron tube having a plurality of electrodes comprising a cathode, a pair of control electrodes, and a pair of anodes, each control electrode being associated with one of the anodes, the electrodes having regions spaced along their lengths, each of the regions of each of the anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode and to a region of the associated control electrode, and each of the regions of one of the control electrodes corresponding to a region of the other control electrode, the said method comprising causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathode toward the corresponding regions of the anodes along paths transverse to the control electrodes, producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of one of the control electrodes and alternately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the other control electrode, to deflect the electrons toward one of the anodes at regions of one polarity of one of the control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the other "control electrode, and to deflect the electrons toward the other anode at regions of the said one polarity of the said other control electrode and at-the corresponding regions of the said opposite polarity of the said one control electrode, thereby producing electronbeam wave-curtains, causing the charged regions to travel along the control electrodes, thereby to cause the electron-beam wave-curtains to oscillate transverselyin deflection zones travelling with the charged regions of the control electrodes, producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of each anode corresponding to the regions of negative and positive charges, respectively, of its associated control electrode, and causing the charged regions of the anodes to travel along the anodes with substantially the same velocity as the corresponding deflection zones of the electron-beam Wavecurtains at the corresponding anodes.

18. High-frequency electron-discharge apparatus having, in combination, an electron tube having a plurality of electrodes comprising a cathode, a pair of control electrodes, and a pair of anodes, each control electrode being associated gra ers 2'7 with one of the anodes, the electrodes having regions spaced along their lengths, each of the regions of each of the anodes corresponding to a region of the cathode and to a region of the associated control electrode, each of the regions of oneof the control electrodes corresponding to a region of the other control electrode, means for causing electrons to travel from the said regions of the cathode toward the corresponding regions of the anodes, the control electrodes being disposed transversely to the respective paths of travel of the electrons from the cathode toward the corresponding anodes, means for producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of one of the control electrodes and alternately disposed negative and positive charges,

respectively, in the corresponding regions of the other control electrode, to deflect the electrons toward one or the anodes at regions of one polarity of one of the control electrodes and at the corresponding regions of the opposite polarity of the other control electrode, and to deflect the electrons toward the other anode at regions of the said one polarity of the said other control electrode and at the corresponding regions of the said opposite polarity of the said one control electrode, thereby to produce electron-beam wavecurtains, and for causing the charged regions to travel along the control electrodes, thereby to cause the electron-beam wave-curtains to oscillate transversely in deflection zones travelling with the charged regions of the control electrodes, means for producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the regions of each anode corresponding to the regions of negative and positive charges, respectively, of its associated control electrode, and means for causing the charged regions of the anodes to travel along the anodes with substantially the same velocity as the corresponding deflection zones of the electron-beam wave-curtains at the corresponding anodes.

19. A method of operating an electron tube having a cathode and two pairs of anode and control electrodes, the control electrodes each having successively disposed regions respectively corresponding to regions of the anode electrode of each pair and'to regions of the other control electrode, the. said method comprising causing electrons from thecathode to travel past the control electrodes along paths disposed transversely to the control electrodes, and producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the successively disposed regions of one of the control electrodes and alternately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the other control electrode and producing alternately disposed negative and positive charges in the said successively disposed regions of the said one control electrode and alternately disposed positive electrode, the said method comprising causing electrons from the cathode to travel past the "control electrodes along paths disposed transversely to the control electrodes, producing alter- 28 nately disposed positive and negative charges in" the successively disposed regions of one of the control electrodes and alternately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the other control electrode to deflect thre electrons in deflection Zones alternately directed toward the respective anode electrodes to correspond to the respective positively and negatively charged regions of the control electrodes, thereby toproduce alternately disposed positive and negative charges, respectively, in ther'eg'ions of the-anode electrode of each pair of electrodes that respectively correspond to the negatively and positively charged regions of the control electrode of the correspending pair of electrodes, and periodically reversi r'ig' the polarity of the chargeson the control electrodes to reverse the polarity of the charges on the anode-electrode regions in synchronism with the" reversal of the polarity of the charges onthe control electrede regions, thereby to render the anode-electrode charged regions stationary on the anode electrodes, whereby the negatively and positively charged regions of the anode electrodes will respectively correspond to the alternately directed deflection zones to produce a transversely oscillating electron-beam wave-curtain.

I 21, A method of operating an electron tube having acathode and two pairs of anode and control electrodes,- thecontrol eIectrodeseach having successively'dispos'ed regions respectively corresponding to regionsof the anode electrode of each pair and to regions of the'other control electrode, the said method comprising causing electrons from thecathode' to travel past the control electrodes alongpaths disposed transversely to the control electrodes", producing alternately disposed positive and negative charges in the successively disposed regions of one of the control electrodes and alternately disposed negative and positive charges, respectively, in the corresponding regions of the other control electrode to' deflect the electrons in deflection zones alternately directed tdw'ai d the res ective anodeelectrodes to correspond to the" respective positively and negatively charged regions of the control electrodes; thereby to produce alter:- nately disposed positive and negative charges, respectively, in the regions of the anode electrade of each pair of electrodes that respectively correspond to the negatively and positively charged regions of! the central electrode of the corresponding pairof electrodes, and causing the contrcl electrode. charged regions to travel along the control electrodes to effect travel of the charged regions: of the-anode electrode of each pair of electrodes along the corresponding anode electrode substantially in synchronisrn with the travel of the control-electrode charged regions along the control electrode of the corresponding pair of control electrodes, whereby the negatively and positively charged regions of the anode electrodes will respectively correspond to the alternately directed deflection zones to produce an electron-beam wave curt'ain transversely oscillating in synchronisni with the travel of the charged regions along the anode electrodes.

22'. An electron tube having a cathode and two pairs of anode and control electrodes, the control electrodes each having successively disposed regions respectively corresponding to regions of the: anode electrode of each pair and'to" regions of the other control electrode, means for causi'ng electrons from the cathode to travel past 

